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The Tomatometer rating – based on the published opinions of hundreds of film and
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Fresh

The Tomatometer is 60% or higher.

Rotten

The Tomatometer is 59% or lower.

Certified Fresh

Movies and TV shows are Certified Fresh with a steady Tomatometer of 75% or
higher after a set amount of reviews (80 for wide-release movies, 40 for
limited-release movies, 20 for TV shows), including 5 reviews from Top Critics.

Audience Reviews for I Shot Jesse James

As the legendary Samuel Fuller's debut film, "I Shot Jesse James" is a western with Fuller's trademark close-up shots and psychological aspects as well as the use of newspaper pages displaying various events. The film is filled with complete characters, especially John Ireland as Bob Ford who practically steals the film! While It's no secretary who and how Jesse James was killed, the film focuses on the aftermath and ensuing destruction of Bob Ford. There are many different linked characters and subplots but this is about one man's destiny after he betrays his best friend and partner for his own ambitions. I loved the pacing of the film and Fuller's touch, while not on full display, are already seeping in and what eventually garnered the critical acclaim he later would receive. If you're a fan of Fuller, westerns, or even dramas this is a great work done by the gifted Samuel Fuller when he first set out directing and shouldn't be missed!

Chris Browning

Super Reviewer

Sam Fuller has a soft-ish side, who knew?
Also the bathtub scene, almost as homo-erotic as Spartacus (almost).

Ken Stachnik

Super Reviewer

½

I Shot Jesse James deals more with the historically questionable exploits (i.e. the love story) of Robert Ford after killing Jesse James (who didn't come off that scary or legendary) than the lead up to the event itself. The brief relationship (in this movie at least) between James and Ford is one of the most homoerotic things I've seen in 40s cinema. The post-James murder seems like it could've been any drama but just happened to have Robert Ford as one of the main characters. Samuel Fuller's direction is the main draw with this one because if you've seen The Assassination of Jesse James any other telling of the story is pretty much ruined for you. I Shot Jesse James isn't a great movie but reasonably groundbreaking for a 40s western.

Michael Gildea

Super Reviewer

the title event takes place in the first twenty minutes and the rest of the film follows robert ford's haunted and hunted life after the fact. this was sam fuller's first film and it's one of his best imo